Seas the Day
by Inkwell's Ink
Summary: Tom Nook wants to earn bells another way other than the ways he already is earning them. He has his mind set on selling sea creatures, but there is an issue: he can't swim. *ONE SHOT* This was originally an entry for a contest on Amino... my prompt was "Tom Nook is trying to learn how to swim"


The vast blue ocean, a wonder among wonders...

How far did it go?

The brown creature sat on the respective cliff looking out onto the blue battlefield,

where various sea creatures lived. Surviving until they were swept away, swept from their chance at life.

His bushy tail rested, smothered by the roses the Mayor watered daily. A noise suddenly disturbed the peaceful silence. Glancing down, he saw her splashing about, creating ripples as she surfaced with Octavian's clone in her own paws.. "hands", excuse him.

The onlooker rubbed his brown paws together in envy. He only hoped that she'd turn to him while smiling brightly, giving him her treasure. Oh, the thought of giving that beauty away! The tanooki played with the backing on his apron,

reminiscing of yesterday's conversation.

 _"Oh, Tom! You're so silly!" The pink haired alpaca laughed with glee._

 _He looked back down, blushing at the alpaca's way of words, looking slightly up to see her partner sneering at him. She grasped the guest's paws with her hooves,_

 _"If you really wanted another way to make bells..."_

 _The bell to Re-Tail interrupted them, as the town's only human flooded by, rushing to the other alpaca who currently was tugging his eyelid down, sticking his tongue out towards the male adorned with the title of the "Greedy Bell-Hogger". She noticed her lover's glances, as she turned back to the customer as the background chatter began to echo._

 _"...maybe you can get her to help you with your dilemma" the pink alpaca continued as her eyes followed the human who just exited._

 _The tanooki, or Tom, just looked up at alpaca, shocked._

 _"B-b-b-b-but Reese! She has her mayoral duties, I can't interrupt her!" He stuttered, while playing with the bells clamped in his paw._

 _Reese just smiled at him, then smirking towards the blue alpaca's direction_

 _"Normally, I'd ask my Cy-Guy to aid you, but it looks like he has his hooves full" she teased, causing Cyrus to gasp in shock, anger forming on his face, Reese responding with an amused grin. The tanooki laughed... until Reese pressed her heavy hooves on his shoulders "You are Tom Nook, THE Tom Nook, yet you are so scared to ask the mayor a simple question for bell help? She can help you replenish your bell count so the shop isn't your only income. I'll talk to the Able sisters and the Owls for further help, but for now, ask HER ... oh and Tom?" She grabbed a nearby poster and stuffed it in his apron's pocket. "Maybe this will help you?" She said with a wink._

Returning his senses towards the tranquil sea, he looked back down seeing the mayor, her dark blue hair tied up in a bun, talking to the neighborhood scallop collector. Tom sighed, pulling out the poster from his apron, reading it for the umpteenth time.

"FISHING AND DIVING TOURNEY ON SATURDAY, HOSTED BY THE HONORABLE BEAVER, CHIP!" it read.

Tom sighed again, his nose shaking up and down, the wind shaking the poster over. He grabbed the flying paper, rubbing his nose as he read the contents of the other side. It had contained every single price Re-Tail would pay for every sea creature. His eyes turned to bells for a second... until he remembered his main issue: he can't swim. Sure, you could use a fishing rod, but the diving goodies also can get you a lot of bells, plus being able to catch fish with your paws works efficiently well. Plus, both events could get him some nice bells!

He looked back at the water... seeing Tortimer on a surfing board?

"Hey kiddo! Come jump into the water!"

...huh? HUH? What was Tortimer doing here? Jump into the water? From the main land, which was really high up? Was he insane? This must be the cause of Pelly being drained all the time. Sighing, he looked over at the old mayor, who currently was having a blast.

"And WHY should I come down? I'd be risking my bells getting wet! Besides, I can't swim." Tom Nook replied, muttering the last part.

"Whaaaat? I can't hear you!"

Tom looked to the side.

"I can't swim" he said quietly.

"What?"

"I can't swim." He replied, his gaze going back to the current mayor, arguing with the red otter over the scallops.

"You know, Nook, my hearing has gotten really bad. Now, if you would repeat your reasoning again..."

"I CAN'T SWIM!" Tom aggressively replied, waving his paws in the air. "I can't swim, I can't swim, I cAN'T SWIM!"

Tortimer smirked. "YoU cAn'T sWiM?"

Tom looked blankly at him, an autumn's leave blowing by him, even though it was the middle of summer. He began to get fed up. An apologetic look began to form on Tortimer's face as he began to mumble to himself something about the nooklings teaching him that as he went back to the shore, seeing Pelly sigh and scold him.

"Maaaaan, you can't swim? How about you go get me some scallops?"

Tom turned toward the otter in disgust, just as the poster landed in the red creature's paws. Tom looked around him confused... since when was the poster thrown over there? And he thought he heard some snickering? The tanooki then snuck a peek at the mayor who currently was... shocked?

The otter smirked, "Come on, Tommy Boy! Maaaan, just jump in!"

The tanooki feared what would happen if he jumped, but if it would allow him to start learning to swim, he'd embrace it and let it happen. He began to tamper with his tied up apron... until he felt himself slipping. Glancing down, he saw the area that he was sitting on was muddy. He then attempted to stand, only to slip on the mud, getting flung off the edge of the cliff. The blue-haired mayor looked at him in shock as he flew in the air, stroking her way towards the tanooki. Tears flung from Tom's eyes as he bellowed his screams.

As he was about to belly flop into the water, he felt himself stop for a second, until he then fell face-first into the blue abyss. He opened his eyes. Realizing he was under the water, he replayed the memory of what the mayor did while swimming. Stroking the water with his arms, randomly kicking his feet up and down. He imitated her movements to attempt to resurface. As he began to lose oxygen, he felt a pair of arms help him to the surface. He looked up to the see the mayor, smiling yet anxious for his safety.

"Tom... that was close." She turned, glaring at the otter who calmly floated on the ocean, rocking with the waves. "Here... let me help you."

She began to take over his arms, instructing him to kick as she moved his arms, resulting in him not falling deeper into the ocean like before. She also taught some other tidbits as he looked at her amazed.

After hours being spent learning in the water, Tom then felt heavy items reach his paws. Making sure he was kicking to stay afloat just like she told him to, he brought his arms out of the water. He glanced down curiously, only to see a 500-bell coin in one hand. He cheered happily, tears flowing as he opened his other paw to reveal.. a-

"Give me that, man." The otter looked at him with puppy-dog eyes.

It was a scallop.

Taking his first sea treasure into his pockets, wherever they may be, he grinned to the otter, proceeding to quickly swim away to the shore. The otter just layed there, closing his eyes as the blue haired mayor swam after Tom, aiding his swimming experience until he reached the shore.

Tom then looked back at the ocean, seeing the mayor rush over to his side as Pascal dipped under. He smiled happily, rubbing his paws as he thought about his first water find. Even though he managed to get the basics down easily, he still would need to learn more. As he stumbled while shivering over toward the local Re-Tail, he looked at his prized scallop. This would be the first sea treasure of many he'd sell for bells.


End file.
